Brazilian researchers have discovered that the Hevine brain protein can reverse the cognitive decline in mice, offering a new avenue in search of Alzheimer who bypasses long targeted beta-amyloid plates.
Brazilian researchers have found that strengthening Hevin's synthesis, a glycoprotein naturally secreted by astrocytes, has led to increased neuronal connectivity in rodents.
In Brazil, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), as well as collaborators from the University of São Paulo (USP), have discovered a molecule called Hevin who can reverse cognitive impairment. The study, conducted in mice, revealed that this glycoprotein, produced by brain cells called astrocytes, can increase connections between neurons (synapses) in elderly mice and in animal models of
Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that mainly affects the elderly, resulting in memory loss, cognitive decline and behavioral changes. This is the most common cause of dementia. The disease is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plates and tau tangles in the brain, which disrupt the function and cellular communication. There is currently no remedy and treatments focus on managing symptoms and improving quality of life.
“Hevine is a well -known molecule involved in neural plasticity. It is naturally secreted by the cells of the central nervous system which support the functioning of neurons and are known as astrocytes. We have found that Hevin's overproduction is able to reverse cognitive deficits in elderly animals by improving the quality of the head of the enemas of Flávia Alcanara Gomes, from the heads of the cells. The UFRJ Institute of Biomedical Sciences.
The study, published in the journal Aging cell was supported by the Ministry of Health, the Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for research support in Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) and FAPESP.
It is important to note that there is still a long way to go before a molecule involved in the inversion of cognitive impairment can become a medication. This is a fundamental scientific study in mice. Another key consideration is whether the compound can cross the blood-brain barrier, which would require efforts to design molecules with this property and the same therapeutic potential.
Hippocampal astrocytes of rodents (in red) overexpressing Hevin (in green). Credit: Felipe Cabral-Miranda and Ana Paula Bergamo Araujo “Of course, in the future, it will be possible to develop drugs that have the same effect as Hevin. Neurons, in light on the role of astrocytes, which we have shown could also be a target for new treatment strategies for Alzheimer's disease and cognitive disorders, “explains Gomes.
Evidence -based hypothesis
By observing public data, the researchers found that Hevin levels in the brain of Alzheimer's patients are decreasing compared to healthy individuals of the same age. With this information and using a recombinant viral vector, the group of the UFRJ Institute of the OUREXPIME BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES HEVIN in Astrocytes of aged animals and in transgenic animal models of Alzheimer's disease.
In addition, all the proteins produced by brain cells (brain proteo) of these animals have also been analyzed. By comparing animals with and without overproduction of Hevin, the researchers found that 89 proteins were expressed differentially. This stage of the work was carried out in the “Redox Proteomics Core” multi-user laboratory of the Center for Redox Process in Biomedicine (Redoxoma)-A Center for Research, Innovation and Diffusion (RIDC) based at the Institute of Chemistry of the University of São Paulo (IQ-USP).
“THE
synapse
A synapse is a specialized junction between nerve cells which allows the transfer of electrical or chemical signals, by the release of neurotransmitters by the presynaptic neuron and the connection of receptors on the post-synaptic neuron. It plays a key role in communication between neurons and in various physiological processes, including perception, movement and memory.
“Data-gt-translate-attributes =” ({“attribute =” “tabindex =” 0 “role =” link “> synapse It depends on the proteins to release a chemical signal from one neuron to another. Proteomic analysis has shown that reinforcement of the HEVINE in astrocytes regulates different protein groups involved in synapses. We have observed an increase in synapses, or in other words, a closer link between neurons and, consequently, better cognitive performance, “explains Danilo Bilches Medinas, professor at the IQ-USP Department of Biochemistry.
Amyloid plates
In addition to identifying Hevine's potential to reverse cognitive deficits in rodents by behavioral tests, researchers also observed that the overexpression of molecule in astrocytes did not affect the deposit of beta -amyloid plates in the hippocampus – a hall of Alzhemer's disease which was at the center of the studies of the disease and drugs.
“To our surprise, although the cognitive deficit was reversed in models of Alzheimer's models, there was no change in the content of the plates. and first author of the study.
“Although there is still no consensus among researchers, I work with the hypothesis that the formation of beta-amyloid plates is not the cause of Alzheimer's disease. Add.
Reference: “Hevin / SparCl-1 astrocyte regulates the cognitive decline in pathological and normal brain aging” by Felipe Cabral-Miranda, Ana Paula Bergamo Araujo, Danilo Bilches Medinas and Flávia Carvalho Alcantara Gomes, February 12, 2025, Aging cell
DOI: 10.1111 / ACEL.14493
The study was funded by ed by São Paulo Research Foun.